Silent Sonata
by Boondocks23
Summary: Virgil is having doubtful thoughts about reality. Cassie is having doubtful thoughts about Tim. Can Dick Grayson help clear their minds or inadvertently spark an intimate chain of events? Rated T for slight violence, language, and drug usage. FINAL CHAPTER IS UP! 3-SHOT IS NOW COMPLETE!
1. Rumination

**A/N: Hey so this may be a completely random story but it's how I've decided to 'release'. It's probably gonna be a 2 shot unless I absolutely need a 3rd chapter but we'll see. I'm not sure why they state that Statics hair is in the form of braids instead of dreads in the 3rd season but Static isn't a cornrows guy to me. He still has the shaved sides but he has dreads tied back instead. I'm not gonna get into why they don't use Static nearly enough but bottom line is THEY DON'T USE STATIC ENOUGH. That's why I've decided to make this fic about him and I noticed him hanging around Wonder Girl more than the others. So that's how she got chosen to be protagonist #2. Sorry if anyone seems OOC and bear with me if there are grammar errors. I have insomnia and wrote this at 4am.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story so don't sue me for my millions -_-**

**Read at your own pace and ENJOY!**

* * *

**Rumination**

Virgil walked down the halls of the watchtower. He had just started roaming after getting caught up in his thoughts.

_'I don't think these are dreams anymore. These emotions. I feel them. I..FELT them!'_

He found himself wandering towards the main teleporters. Virgil kept his eyes ahead but he honestly wasn't paying attention to where he was going. He was locked within his mind.

Richard Grayson had been researching in the**_ 'Monitor Womb'_**. He heard footsteps in the distance and peeked up. He noticed Virgil walking by with dead eyes.

_'What's going on with Virgil?'_ He could see eyes with no path from the young superhero. Richard stepped away from the large monitor screen and out into the hallway.

"Hey, Static."

"Nightwing. Yo what up?" He approached Richard with a weak smile.

"I was reading about an escape from Blockbuster when I saw you. And thankfully I saw you because I've got a few concerns." Richard crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway frame.

"Uhh...I don't know who keeps eating all of the ice cream." Virgil put his hands up defensively.

"It's not about that..although I've been curious. Actually I've been worried about you." He corrected him.

"Me? But I haven't been injured in a single mission." Virgil began to explain.

"I know Static, you're an amazing hero at your age. I'm actually referring to your mental health."

"That's..odd, you should be more concerned with family. Ya know how Batman gets with his Robins." Virgil joked halfheartedly.

"I AM concerned with family. And out of everyone on the team YOU were the first to have Batmans full approval. That means something around here and I see that you're bright. Even if you don't speak out much. And having been trained by the world's greatest detective I can also see that something's upsetting you." He stepped forward and place a hand on Virgil's shoulder.

"It's...not something that sounds sane out loud." His eyes lowered.

"I'm not forcing you to say anything uncomfortable. But if there's something on your mind, there'll be no judgment. I'm a fairly open minded guy considering my upbringing." Richard patiently waited for Virgil to gather his thoughts.

"Sometimes I...Lately at night...Have you ever just like wondered if you were actually awake? If everything around you was fabricated in some way?" Virgil looked away in embarrassment.

"If it is, I'd wanna wake up now so I can be in bed already." Richard joked before noticing Virgil's weak grin. "Ok look. You remember Jason Todd? He was Batman's next Robin after me. I was an only child and I've always wanted a sibling. He was a bit rough around the edges..but..in some twisted way I finally had the little brother I'd always wanted. I've even had dreams where everyone I've loved are at this cookout and everyone's laughing and talking. But of course before I have any time to really take it in..I wake up. Sometimes when no one is looking I'll squeeze my eyes shut really tight. I'm hoping that when I open them I'll be back at the cookout and realize THIS was the dream." Richard's grin was replaced with a Bruce like frown.

"Damn bro...so how exactly do you keep focus when you're feeling so out of place? How do you keep on pushing when you're living this..nightmare?" Virgil did his best not to yell.

"I was once in your position, when the whole world became something entirely different in just a moments notice. Realistically and scientifically, change is inevitable. The best thing we can do is roll with the punches and find a new way to stay sane. You wanna join me in this Blockbuster search? I could use another eye." Richard patted his shoulder before heading back into the monitor room.

"Nah, I honestly wouldn't be any help right now. I was actually on my way..." Virgil had another moment of perpetual mental blockage. Richard noticed where he was headed and chimed in.

"Well I see you're headed to the teleporters so if you're going up, maybe the living quarters? But if you were going down, I suspect you've taken a liking to the Hydroponics area."

"Yea...yea, I think that's where I was headed. It's really quiet. Top 3 spots of the tower if you ask me." He began to walk away before hearing Richard come to a sudden halt.

"Oh and Static. Try not to shut everything out at once or you'll miss some picture perfect moments. Try accepting invites from your peers as well. I know you're kind of a loner but sometimes that's the problem."

"I hear ya man." Virgil waved back as he continued down the corridor. He noticed Wonder Girl staring at her phone as she headed his way from the opposite end.

She seemed to be knee deep into something on the screen in front of her. She hadn't looked up from it the entire time he watched her. Virgil noticed Cassandra biting her lip. He wondered when she would notice her path of direction was leading her straight for him. He couldn't help but notice how tight her grip on her phone was. He almost forgot that she was still walking. With only moments from crashing, he grabbed her attention.

"That phone's gonna cause you an accident." He joked. She jolted her head up and stopped inches away from him.

"Oh..uh, hey Virgil. I was on my way to help Nightwing with an errand. I guess I...got a little distracted." She pocketed her phone.

"Try to stay away from streets and highways when you're on that." He lightly joked.

"I know, I know. I need to throw this thing in my closet and leave it there." She sighed deeply.

"I don't mean to tease ya but, if you need a better distraction I'll be around for a bit."

"Sounds like what I need. We haven't hung out in forever but I promised Nightwing I'd help him with a search."

"Ok, rain check then?" He gave her a fist bump before walking past her.

"For sure. We'll do something next week." She gave a light smile before continuing down the hall. She spotted the room they so graciously titled_** 'The Monitor Womb'**_. Richard had the door open already.

"Glad you made it. I already have a lead, well sort of a lead."

"The door was open when I walked up. Did you know I was outside?" She was genuinely curious about the door.

"I heard your footsteps." He turned to her and noticed her features. "Cassie what's wrong? You didn't have to do this if you're not in the mood." Richard looked away from the monitor screen.

"Oh...well it's nothing to worry about I just-", she tried her best to articulate her thoughts but she also had to fight the urge to shed tears.

"Is it Tim?" Richard could see the shift in emotions on her face. She just looked away. "Cassie, take the rest of the day off. I can honestly handle this by myself."

"No way! I wanna help, Dick." She huffed.

"Work stress on top of life stress doesn't help anyone. Look I know Tim and I understand his mindset to a considerable degree. When I was Robin I did what I could to forget my life problems. I wanted to enjoy being in the moment, especially when I was flying through the air alongside Batman. Tim takes just about everything as serious as he can. I know because I've been in his shoes at one point. Downside is, you can't enjoy anything that's in front of you. He can't live in the moment right now, but you can Cassie." He lightly nudged her shoulder. She was forced to smile before looking up at him.

"I guess you're right."

"I am right. Have you seen Virgil lately? There's something seriously bothering him and it's eating at the very bottom of his core."

"He seemed fine when I passed him just now." She pointed her thumb to the right.

"We always do, don't we?" He crossed his arms with a smirk.

"That's true. Do you know exactly where he was headed?"

"Try the hydroponics area, now shoo. Go enjoy the weekend." He practically pushed her out the room. She just laughed without protest.

* * *

Virgil sat against a large tree. He had his eyes closed and only listened for his heartbeat. He tried to focus on nothing but that rhythm. He had done something similar once before and fell into a meditative state. Before that point he had never felt such a powerful force. It was like he had no choice but to submit his mind to this dimension of relaxation and peace. Of course this was before the "nightmares". He slowly exhaled before opening his eyes. He sensed a familiar signature inching closer, gliding through the electromagnetic field around him.

"That was quicker than expected." He spoke loud enough for her to hear.

"Ugh! How'd you know!?" She floated down in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"That's a secret." He winked at her.

"Ok RAVEN. You're gonna tell me one day, mark my words." A sly grin as always on her face.

"Maybe with that confidence haha. So you're free now?"

"It turns out he didn't need my help after all so I'm here to take you up on your offer." She offered her hand to help him up and he took it.

"Ok well..what do you feel like doing?"

"I...have no idea, I'm drawing a blank." She shrugged with a grin.

"Arrrre you hungry?"

"I am!" Her eyes lit up.

"You're gonna love me after today. There's this spot in Brooklyn that has the cheesiest pizza you'll ever taste!" He jumped up and lead her to the zeta tubes.

Cassandra was zapped down into an old phone booth in an alley. She looked around but saw no signs of Virgil.

"Up here." The voice lead her to the top of the nearest 3 story building. She spotted Virgil on the ledge and ascended towards him.

"Why exactly are we up here?" She questioned as she floated above him.

"This was the nearest teleporter but we just have to cross the giant field at the end of the street."

"Did you wanna fly there?"

"Actually I wanted to show you something. Something I like even more than riding a metal saucer. Just follow me!"

He jumped out and gripped the poles powerline with an electric touch. Cassandra tried not to show it but the sight of Virgils powers excited her. She stared in awe as he "ziplined" at an accelerating speed. She gasped as he somersaulted into the air. He landed on both feet causing another small burst of electricity. For a brief moment she thought she could hear distant upbeat piano notes.

"Well look at Mr. Smooth over here." Cassandra glided next to him. He gave her a sparkling wink with a grin from the side.

"Smooth like a dolphins backside." He added.

"You're such a dork sometimes!" They both laughed.

"Heads up!" He called out before reaching the end of the street.

Virgil jumped off the lines and flew through the air. He raised his arms to the sky with open hands. He felt slender but impossibly strong hands clasp onto his own. A smile stretched across his face when he looked up at Cassandra. Her heart sped up a bit at the sight of his genuine smile. They flew over some trees that stretched a bit before reaching a stadium sized field.

"Ok, you're cool again. But how did you know I'd catch you?" She questioned with genuine curiosity.

"Friends are supposed to trust each other right?" He answered which warmed her heart.

They finally crossed the field and found a busy intersection with multiple food chains around. They dropped down behind a mini mart. It was dark out so nobody spotted them. They crossed the street and stared at their destination.

"Here it is. Big Brothers Pizza!" They stared up at the giant sign sticking out of the building. There was the sudden racket of a trashcan falling over in the distance. "Wait. You hear that?"

"It came from the alley." She confirmed.

They walked around to the side of the building and peeked into the alley. There was a group of men huddled around something. They seemed to be filled with an excitement. Cassandra and Virgil decided to move closer until they recognized a body on the ground in front of them.

"Don't mean to crash the party but what can I say? I never get invited." Virgil quipped before the 3 men turned around. The middle goon had a pistol drawn and fired off a shot towards Virgil. Cassandra threw her hand out to cover his face. Her wristband deflected the bullet back towards the group. The goon on the far end was hit in the leg and dropped to the floor.

"Aaaggghhh! You shot me leg!" The man yelled out at them.

"No, your accomplice with the firearm shot you. That's also attempted murder asswipes." She crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry! Yo-you scared me Wonder Girl, I swear!" The man suddenly burst away without waiting for a reply.

"I got em." Virgil assured her.

With the flick of his finger a dumpster went flying across the fleeing goons path. He collided with the dumpster and passed out. Virgil gave her a thumbs up and wink for the cherry on top. She playfully rolled her eyes before helping the victim to his feet. They called the police and calmed the civilian down until he spoke with an officer. After that Virgil grabbed their pizza and drug her to the roof.

* * *

"This is an interesting place to eat." She noted.

"It's not exactly something I recall doing a lot but it feels...right. Like it's my home away from home." He drifted off as he looked out into the distant sky. Cassandra popped the box open and grabbed a slice.

"Better come eat before I'm done with it." She said playfully.

"You must have quite the appetite."

"Actually my old school friends were always telling me that I eat more than anyone they knew." She simply shrugged.

"Haha, same here. My powers are...complicated but I also had to eat more than my friends." He grabbed a slice from the first box.

"You can generate electricity right? I've also seen you move things mentally."

"Close. My powers seem to revolve around Electromagnetism. So yea I can control electricity. But I also manipulate magnetism. What about you? I've seen you smash things and fly around. Is it because you're related to Wonder Woman?" He grabbed another slice of pizza just as he finished the first.

"Mmm something like that. I am related to her but I got my powers kinda like how she got hers. Wanna guess?" She also grabbed another slice of pizza.

"Umm..I assumed she was some kind of god cuz of the way she articulates herself. You're a little bit harder to pinpoint. If I didn't know you I'd assume you were the everyday teenage girl waiting for the boy gossip from your girlfriends." He chuckled.

"Oh so you think I'm basic?" She smirked his way and he shook his head.

"Not at all. I doubt a basic girl could carry the kind of energy you do. I've never seen ANYONE with that kind of energy. I've never seen anyone as fearless as you, well except for Icon. But he's pretty much invulnerable as long as you don't catch him off guard. I mean you stood up to freaking LOBO! Who else besides Superman can say they did that with no fear?" He exclaimed as he grabbed another pizza.

"I guess I can't argue with that." She blushed a bit before grabbing another slice.

"I've also never seen anyone as FREE as you. I notice it when you fight or in conversation. The way you carry yourself, like a bird that chooses to fly as high as it can."

"Well I know someone who is Mr. OBSERVANT." She said as she dangled the melting cheese off the pizza and into her mouth.

"And who's that?" He said without looking away from the scenery.

"YOU silly!" She smiled as she stuffed the rest of the pizza in her mouth.

"Me?" He finally looked at her.

"Yup. You may not notice but there's moments where you look just as free as..the bird or whatever. Like when we were flying earlier, you looked so carefree I hardly recognized you with such a big smile." She lightly nudged him with her elbow.

"Nah, I was just distracted by how much fun we were having." He took the last bite of his pizza slice.

"So you wouldn't call that a natural state? It looked genuine to me." She reached for another slice.

"Yea...I guess you're right." He also reached for another slice.

Their hands gently collided which caused them both to snap their heads around. Virgil studied her hand for a second before looking up. They both seemed to be mirroring each other as they stared into the others eyes. The sudden interaction caused an involuntary reaction from Virgil. Cassandra noticed his eyes spark with electricity for a brief second.

"Sorry." She pulled her hand back quickly. Her heart sped up once again while blood filled her cheeks.

"It's no biggie." He replied casually before grabbing another slice of pizza. She watched him gaze out into the night sky. He seemed so relaxed in this moment. She recalled what Nightwing told her before clearing her throat.

"So...Virgil." Cassandra tried to smoothly transition topics.

"I'm listening." Again he said without facing her.

"I know you don't exactly broadcast your thoughts or what's going on in your life but..." She searched for some way to ask without overstepping any boundaries.

"Buuut...?" He finished the last of his slice.

"Someone once gave me a tip on body language and something's off about you. Ever since you joined the team you've had this cool demeanor. You have funny moments as well as like..suave moments." She also finished off her slice of pizza.

"Riiight." He wanted to know where she was going with this.

"Well just like you've noticed things about me, I've also noticed things about you." She finally said before he faced her with an eyebrow raised.

"Word? Please, do tell." He smirked.

"I think you put on this strong silent aura and smile at everyone so they'll leave you alone. I think you can't wait to be alone so you can rest your face and be the real you." She carefully worded her thoughts. This made Virgil slowly drop his smirk. His eyes wandered her face before drifting off to the side.

"You got that from looking at me?" He almost sounded sorrowful.

"When we're on missions, it's always the same face. But when I see you reading in your downtime you never smile. There's a look of interest and focus like whatever you're reading is so damn enticing. Even when we were flying earlier. You had the biggest smile I've ever seen and it puts your everyday "smile" to shame." She used air quotes which made him grin.

"You may be on to something." He admitted. She placed her hand on his forearm.

"You don't have to hide everything ya know? I'm a very good listener." A warm smile formed on her face.

"Cassie I'm sure you've got enough to think about. You don't wanna hear my problems too." He lightly pulled away as he turned to stare at the city. She could hear distant piano notes again. This time they slowed down.

"Try me." She stepped up next to him and stared at his features.

"Ok...well you're right. About my face. Ever since I can remember I've had trouble fitting in. Growing up I just figured it was cuz I was a brown skinned kid in America but it's deeper than that." He took a long inhale and exhaled quickly. "I think I might be...", he shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Virgil you can tell me what's bothering you. I promise I won't look at you any different. Friends..trust each other, right?" She tugged on his wrist this time. He slowly turned his head towards her. She heard the music again but the piano notes were painfully low in tone.

"It's hard to put in words. I...ughh, it's so fucking complicated." His tone was as serious as she's ever heard. She watched his gaze fall to the floor. His expression souring by the second. "All my life I've felt like I've been living a lie. Like this body isn't really mine or maybe I never really woke up when..." He closed his eyes and looked away from her.

"Why would you think that?" She inched closer.

"Because no matter how many times I tell myself this is real..that I'M REAL, I still can't shake this feeling. I'm sorry, I don't know what the hell is wrong with me somet-", He felt her arms wrap around his neck before being pulled into her embrace.

"I'm sorry that such things are haunting you. You should never have to think like that Virgil. You ARE supposed to be here. You ARE real cuz I sure couldn't come up with someone as wonderful as you. Someone as brave and selfless as you are one in a million." She squeezed him slightly.

"You don't have to do this for me." He almost whispered.

"Do what?" She questioned innocently.

"Comfort me. Tell me these things. Hug me longer than anyone ever has hehe." He half heartedly joked.

"Yea...I know. But I'm not saying anything that isn't true V." She replied before he finally wrapped his arms around her.

"I can tell you aren't lying." The mystery behind those words somehow intrigued her. He squeezed her lightly which caused her face to flush.

_'Damn he feels solid. NO! Get your mind out the gutter while he's opening up to ya Cass!'_ She yelled at herself.

"I'm glad we did this. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being alone in my downtime. But to be honest, enjoying this with you is so much better." He admitted to her. This brought more blood rushing to her cheeks.

"We do make a pretty dynamic duo." She tried her best to sound casual.

"You kidding?" They finally pulled away with smiles plastered on their features. "The way you blocked that bullet when I could have been a goner. Insane."

"I do that in training all the time. But I've never seen you push a dumpster like a cart with your finger!" They both exchanged excitement.

"What did that guy say? _**You shot me leg** _haha! Let's finish this pizza and bounce." Virgil finally said before opening the box for them.

This was a night unlike any before as they continued to laugh and talk about superhero moments. A warm energy engulfed them both and they both silently agreed that this was the best night they've had in a long time.

* * *

**A/N: I hope whatever you take from this story helps you stay positive in life. Goodbye for now and keep smiling!**


	2. Ex-Crisis

**A/N: Yo, I got this new chapter for y'all lol.**

**Shout out for the review "missmartian369". I did wanna throw some cuteness in there cuz what's a drama/romantic story without some fluff? I'm really glad you like it and I agree. Not enough WONDERSHOCK around these neck of the web pages lol.**

**Disclaimer: Blah blah, don't own. Blah blah, don't sue. Ya got the jist in the first chapter.**

**Songs mentioned in order goes: The Red by Chevelle, These Walls by Dream Theater, Cult of Personality by Living Colour**

**Read at your own pace and ENJOY!**

* * *

**EX-CRISIS**

2 weeks had passed since Cassandra and Virgil shared the rooftop. Cassandra and Tim stood in the kitchen whispering to each other.

"I just don't understand why you won't even spend one day with me. There ARE other heroes working the streets." Cassandra held a sour face with her arms crossed.

"I know Cassie. But I need to put my all into this. No half assing." Tim replied with no emotion behind his mask.

"Ok so tell me what's going on. Please, don't shut me out!" She pleaded.

"It's personal and I need to handle it personally. If I told you what I was planning, you'd try to stop me." He tried to explain. "I don't wanna lie to to someone I care about."

"Tim we've been through hell together so let me be there for you. Just trust me!" She grasped his hands and pleaded.

"This is something for me to face alone." He grimly stated as he looked away.

"Wow. Do you really have such little faith in me?" She could feel her eyes welling up with tears.

"Cass, I'm sorry." Tim gently apologized. He tried to move closer but she took a step back.

"Me too. But at least this way you won't have to lie to me." She pulled away from his grasp and did her best not to cry before flying away.

She ran into her personal room in the watchtower and locked the door behind her. She pulled a bluetooth speaker out from her closet and set it down on her dresser. After connecting her phone to it, she selected the top playlist titled** "Feels Vol.2"**. She sat down against her bed and played the first track.

* * *

Virgil pulled a large briefcase out from his closet and dropped it on his bed. He placed his hands on both sides of it. After a click it popped open and he stared at the contents inside.

_'Whenever the feeling of nothing engulfs me I come here. I bring out this suitcase and stare at my future. Because when I get to this point there's no turning back. Despair and turmoil is where I'm trapped and can't escape.'_

He stared down at the specially tailored cloth. It was a nice shade of black with a deep royal blue trim around the edges. He pulled it out and hoisted it above his head to view its full length. A one of a kind, hooded trenchcoat that gives him a headache if he stares at it too long. He laid it down on the bed and took a peek into the hallway. He looked left and then right.

_'Looks clear.'_ He mentally sighed.

He walked back to his bed and checked the briefcase again. He saw gloves that matched the coat, dark goggles, and a white domino mask. He threw the entire getup on and peaked out into the hall a second time.

_'Still clear. I don't know why I sneak around when I put this on. Maybe cuz it would be slightly embarrassing wearing something nobody here has seen me with. They may think I'm going around doing solo work like a true vigilante. But then again they'd be right. I do this whenever the TEA in my CUP flows over. But the truth is, I really don't need anyone questioning me. Trying to explain why I do this is the REAL reason I sneak around.'_

He could see the zeta tubes at the end of the hallway. But as he got closer he could hear the faint sound of heavy guitar notes.

_'Is that..coming from Wonder Girl's room?'_ He followed the music until he was in front of her door._ 'Is that Chevelle? Since when does she listen to..that's The Red.'_ He snapped out of his thoughts and knocked on the door. The music stopped and he could hear an irritated Cassandra.

"Go away." It was clear that she wanted to be alone but Virgil couldn't just leave it be.

"Hey Wonder Girl, it's Static. I guess I heard the music and wanted to che-", the door slid open with haste and Cassandra pulled Virgil into her room before locking the door again.

"I thought everyone had left." She admitted. "But uh...what are you wearing?" She studied his full height. She could see his lightning symbol on a tight fitted shirt hiding within his cloak. He was wearing a white domino mask with a pair of goggles on his forehead. A style of clothing she's never seen him wear before.

"It's nothing. Are you ok?" He simply asked. She held a face of suspicion before letting it go for the time being.

"I'm fine..well I mean, I've been better. But ya know, I'm good." She played it off.

"Hey, I believe you. There aren't any issues at the watchtower." He shrugged before looking around.

"Ok fine. Maybe I'm a bit down." She said as she walked back over to her bed. She plopped down in her previous spot.

"Is that why I heard you blasting Chevelle like a madman?" He grinned causing her to crack a smile.

"It's how I vent. My mother used to play music for me as a child whenever I would get upset. I guess it carried over as I grew 'cause music gets me through when I feel this way." She spoke honestly.

"I know that feeling. So when you're feeling angry...you play this?" He pointed at her speaker.

"Well..yea, I do." She looked down at her feet. She had kicked her shoes off to the side so her red socks showed.

"Nice selection by the way. Never took you for the metal type tho." He sat down adjacent to her with his back against the wall.

"Yea, me either." She weakly replied without looking away from her feet. Her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, knees pressed to her chest.

"I was actually on my way to my favorite side of Brooklyn if you wanna join." He offered.

"No thanks. I'm probably gonna stay in for the day." Again her voice was soft and lazy.

"Ok well, I'll stay in with you." He decided before taking his coat off to settle in. Cassandra was visibly irritated about his sudden declaration.

"I'm not exactly in the mood to talk." She hinted at wanting to be alone.

"Yea, me neither." She could hear the grin on his face. He shifted his position and laid down sideways, perched up on his elbow. She did her best to hold back a smile.

"I was trying to vent through music because I don't like talking about these emotions." She reminded him.

"By all means. Don't even mind me." He spoke nonchalantly.

"I..can't exactly do that with you here."

"Don't be embarrassed, I like your song choice."

"I'm not embarrassed." She said unconvincingly.

"You mind if I play something I think you'd like?" He asked as he pointed at her phone.

"Be my guest..since you won't leave." She whispered the last part causing Virgil to raise an eyebrow. He hesitantly reached for the phone as he stared at her.

_'Mmkaayyy, let's see now. Is this the 'back' button?' _He thought as he pressed a key with an arrow pointing to the left. The phone backed all the way out to the homescreen. He noticed she only had a few apps covering her background. The fully visible photo of Cassandra and Tim staring back at him. Tim was holding the phone out for the selfie while Cassandra draped herself over him from behind. A soft kiss planted on his cheek as she posed for the picture. They looked so happy Virgil could barely recognize the heap of sadness he saw beside him. For a brief moment he almost wished it was himself made into wallpaper for her background. He subtly shook his head and focused on searching for the right song again. He found it and put it on without word. He closed his eyes and let the song play.

_'I can't believe he's completely dropping his plans to..sit here next to me. Why does he have to be so selfless? And why can't I just kick him out? This is MY room!'_

She looked over at him and noticed him staring straight up. He seemed to be spacing out the longer the music filled the room. The electric guitar finally came to a smooth stop as it transitioned to the first verse.

**_"This is so hard for me._**

**_To find the words to say._**

**_My thoughts are standing still."_**

Cassandra immediately felt the shift in energy. Her thoughts began to roam many places.

**_"Captive inside of me._**

**_All emotions start to hide._**

**_And nothing's getting through."_**

She never would have figured him to be the type that would listen to music so unorthodox. It was completely different from what the "cool" kids at her school were listening to. She wasn't ready for the drum switch up during the bridge.

**_"Watch me._**

**_Fading._**

**_I'm losing all my instincts._**

**_Falling into darkness."_**

She couldn't help but stare at him as the lyrics finally resonated with her.

_'Why is he playing this? Does he feel this way? Is he venting right NOW? I thought I had figured him out but maybe I wasn't even close.'_ She thought. He had his eyes closed and began to hum along with the song.

_**"Tear down these walls for me.**_

_**Stop me from going under.**_

_**You are the only one who knows I'm holding back!**_

_**It's not too late for me to keep from sinking further.**_

_**I'm trying to find my way out, tear down these walls for me now."**_

_'I didn't want to overstep any boundaries but he came in wearing it for Zeus' sake!'_ Cassandra just had to know about his current attire. She suddenly lowered the volume so she wouldn't have to yell.

"Virgil what's with the fit?" She blurted out, startling him. He leaned forward and locked uneasy eyes with her.

"It's...just a new thing I-I'm..trying." He did his best to freestyle an excuse but his mind felt like a trainwreck. He felt like shit lying to his closest friend on the team.

"My mom, my boyfriend, even my friends. Everyone lies to me one way or the other. I may be the daughter of Zeus but that doesn't mean I'm not human. I still have feelings!" She put her face in her palms before letting out a deep sigh. Her eyes watered for just a second.

"Whoa. Zeus is your dad?" He repositioned himself up against the wall.

"And he never even sends a postcard, can you believe that?" She halfheartedly chuckled. Virgil felt his body heat up as he prepared to let out a secret or two.

"Cassie, I'm not trying anything new. Remember when I told you about how I've felt lately?" He began tapping his foot nervously.

"Of course I do. It was the first time anyone has ever told me something like that." She lifted her head.

"So..when that feeling I get starts to become unbearable, I put this on." He grasped the coat. "I put it on when I no longer know who I am. I put it on and I go out to fight crime solo. I do it 'cause when I'm in the midst of battle with no help around I get the strangest feeling of nostalgia. It's..almost as if I've transformed and I'm a completely different superhero. And then I get this overwhelming feeling..lik-like some kind of adrenaline rush." He took a deep breath before he got lightheaded from nonstop talking.

"Who have you told about this? Did you try talking to Black Canary?" She asked with new concern.

"Nah, I'm too embarrassed to tell anyone else." He looked away for a moment.

"But..you told me?" She questioned with curiosity.

"Yea, I guess I did." He fully acknowledged, a bit surprised at himself.

"Why would you tell me something so personal?"

"Well I've pretty much lost all of my school friends since I got these powers. I haven't been home all summer vacation." He subtly added which Cassandra caught but decided to leave be. "I guess the only person I felt safe telling was my best friend." He said nonchalantly with a warm smile.

"Oh ok that makes sen-", She caught herself between thoughts when she realized what he just said. "Did you..just call me your best friend?" She shifted herself up a bit more by fixing her posture.

"I know..kinda sad considering we met at work. And you've probably got like 20 friends ahead of me on the tier list haha!" He held himself to keep from laughing. Cassandra played with her thumbs shyly.

"Actually that's a relief." She hesitantly tucked some loose hair behind her ears. "You'd think that Tim might be my bestfriend or even Barbara since we hang out in real life as well. At the very least you'd think someone from my school, maybe on the cheer squad would be my bestfriend. But to be honest it's beyond that. I'll admit I'm a people person but I couldn't say half the things I really wanna say around others. Hell you'd even think my MOM is my bestfriend but..no..it's you." She almost whispered the last part but he was close enough to hear it. She almost couldn't look at him as she felt her cheeks heat up.

"Awwww." He playfully said as he nudged her leg with his. A wide grin planted on his features caused her to involuntarily grin as well. She lightly slapped his leg before hiding her embarrassing smile behind her hands.

"I sorta wanted you to leave before..but now I'm really glad you crashed my** 'pity party'**." She took her hands down to reveal a cheesy smile.

"Is that what this was? I honestly thought this was the **'fun parade'**." He joked with a bit of sarcasm peppered over the top.

"Shut up!" She giggled before nudging his leg with her own.

"Oh! I know what song'll cheer you up." He grabbed her phone and scrolled with haste. A smirk replaced her smile.

"Oh yea? What song might do that?" She playfully challenged. He turned his head a bit toward her and raised an eyebrow.

"A juicy lil classic called...**"The Cult of Personality"**!" He theatrically sped through the title before pressing play.

_**"And during the few moments that we have left, we want to talk, right down to earth, in a language that everybody here can easily understand."**_

_'An intro monologue?'_ Cassandra thought as the song played. _'That's deep. Wait..is that-'_

"This is Malcolm X talking." Virgil noted for her. She just nodded in response.

_'Interesting...I have no idea what I'm in for.'_ She mentally accepted. The next sound she heard was the last she expected to hear. There was a rhythmic guitar riff which was soon accompanied by drums. _'What's happening here?'_

_**"Look in my eyes, what do you see?**_

_**The cult of personality**_

_**I know your anger, I know your dreams**_

_**I've been everything you wanna be**_

_**OHHH"**_

She absolutely loved the vintage quality of the song. The beautiful melody and lyrics were something she hadn't quite heard before. She couldn't help but laugh as Virgil began to lip sing the lyrics in classic teen fashion.

_**"I'm the cult of personality**_

_**Like Mussolini and Kennedy**_

_**I'm the cult of personality**_

_**The cult of personality**_

_**The cult of personality"**_

The music had her rocking back and forth to the instruments. She had an idea and quickly held her hand out.

"Let me see your phone for a second." She asked with a bubbly tone. Without hesitation he pulled it out of his jacket pocket and handed it over.

"There's no code, just hit the button on the right side." He advised.

She noticed he had no background photo but decided to save the discussion for another time. She went to the camera and hit record.

"Tell us how you really feel V." She held back a giggle as she taped his actions.

"Ooh, my favorite part is up next! Check out this switch up!" He told the camera before jumping up to headbang. Cassandra could hear the change as the drums looped for a moment. Virgil swung his head until a few locks came out the ponytail to hang in front like bangs.

_**"Neon lights, Nobel Prize**_

_**When a mirror speaks**_

_**The reflection lies**_

_**You won't have to follow me**_

_**Only you can set me freeeee"**_

She watched him through the phone as he showed his rarely seen true self. His genuine smiles melted her. His electric gaze put her on edge like never before. She could hear her own heartbeat over the music. Time seemed to slow as that same piano from before could be heard. The tune was majestic and the chords were strong but gentle.

_'Is that MY heart making that noise? Ok yea, I felt that. It's mine. But why do you have to do this to me now of all days? It's bad enough you were feeling these symptoms while STILL in a relationship but after the best friend revelation I wanna stay next to him for as long as possible. Ugh..GROW UP CASS!'_ She shook her head as Virgil offered his hand to her.

"Come headbang with me." She could almost feel an electric energy pulsing from him.

"Ok." She barely got out as he pulled her up with excitement.

They both held in their laughter so they could properly headbang. Before they could really get into it the song was interrupted by a ringing sound. It was her phone. They both glanced at each other before looking at the display on her phone.

"Is umm..that important?" Virgil pointed at the source of the alert.

"It's just Tim. I can call him back later if he just wants to apologize."

"No seriously, it's cool. I'll just grab my stuff and you two can talk things out." He turned to grab his coat.

_'No. I want you to stay here. Stay here with me!'_ She wanted to say but the words wouldn't come out. All of a sudden the fear of being rejected overwhelmed her. She reached out but quickly pulled her hand away.

"Tell Tim I said hey. I might actually turn in early." He began to walk past her until he felt slender fingers on his wrist. He stopped and immediately recognized Cassandra's grip.

"Wait." She almost whispered. Virgil studied her features but couldn't get an exact read on her expression.

"Cassie, what's wrong?" He roamed her face in search of a clue to what she could be thinking about.

"Nothing..it's just..", she placed her other hand in between his. She swallowed the lump in her throat but couldn't open her mouth.

"It's ok, you can tell me anything. Friends, remember?" He smiled innocently.

"Yea..of course. I just wanted to say again how much I enjoyed hanging out with you. Goodnight." She said in a half daze.

"Anytime. Night!" He said but before moving, he noticed her hands. "Cass?"

"Yes?" She answered, jumping out of her daze. He glanced down at her hand.

"I should..probably go before Tim gets here, right?" He almost hesitated, feeling a bit nervous about what this scene might look like.

"Yea! No, you're right. But send me that video I took ok? Don't forget!" She said as she opened the door with one hand, the other still attached to Virgil's.

"I won't." He grinned before exiting, gently letting her hand slide out of his. There was a brief moment where she clung to his index finger for just a second. As it disconnected, Virgil glanced over to lock eyes with Cassandra one last time for the night. He noticed something that bothered him. Something in her eyes.

Cassandra watched him leave with deep sorrow. She wasn't sure why these feelings bombarded her at the worst times but she knew they wouldn't go away anytime soon either. Before she could shut her door, a gloved hand pushed against it. She turned to see a familiar face.

"Tim. How long have you been here?" She looked around for anyone else. Tim removed his hood to reveal an expressionless face.

"Not too long."

* * *

**A/N: Don't worry yourself about reviewing peeps. I'm enjoying myself with the story which is rare cuz I'm usually my own worst critic lol. I'm just glad peeps are reading so if you got this far ill remind ya again. Enjoy your Thanksgiving in case I don't follow this chapter up. Take anything you deem worthy out of this to help you stay positive and keep smiling peeps. Bye now!**


	3. Existential Alleviation

**A/N: Whoooo! Finally done with this story. I think I wrote exactly enough to express the mood I had when coming up with the story.**

**missmartian369: I'm glad you like the way I write them. I feel like I don't know Cassandra enough so she may be a bit OOC but I tried my best to write her within some boundaries.**

**I'll be gone for a few weeks but I'm honestly in the middle of juggling ideas for a new story. I have a lot I still want to express through my writing while lowkey hoping to progress my storytelling. It's more than likely gonna be a Boondocks story but it might also be an Avatar: TLA story. Stay tuned if you're interested.**

**Disclaimer: " THOT!"**

**Read at your own pace and ENJOY**!

* * *

**Existential Alleviation**

Virgil hit the ground with a thud. He used the momentum to roll backwards, mitigating most of the damage. He stared up at the monster in front of him.

"That one almost tickled BB." He huffed as he did his best to draw in air. Blockbuster stared back at him unamused. With a roar he prepared to attack.

"Incoming!" Cassandra yelled as she came crashing into Blockbuster shoulder first. He tumbled over as Cassandra stopped to check on Virgil. Cassandra wasn't wearing her usual super suit. She had on a red long sleeve with an enlarged WonderGirl symbol across the torso. She wore blue jeans and dark boots that had short 2 inch heels. Her belt was also shaped like her symbol.

"Hey. Trade ya dance partners?" She offered without taking her eyes off Blockbuster. Virgil noticed a few foot soldiers reloading their rifles in the direction Cassandra came from.

"Deal! Just be careful. I don't think he's a fan of the 'cha cha'!" He said as he flew away on a metal disk.

Cassandra burst forward with a rumble before tackling Blockbuster into a parked van. A swift hammerfist knocked her off balance. She caught herself from face planting but she was lifted off the ground and thrown into a fire hydrant.

Virgil picked off each henchman one by one. The last few all got stuck to a single car magnetically, courtesy of Static.

_'Ok..now what happened to Sportsmaster?'_ Virgil looked past Blockbuster to spot Nightwing and Sportsmaster in a heated battle.

With a baseball bat, Sportsmaster forced Nightwing to defend his attacks. Firmly grasping his escrima sticks, Nightwing expected nothing less from a former member of the League of Shadows. A quick button press ignites a rocket flare from the handle of the bat. Sportsmaster swings his bat with full force and intent. Nightwing evade and blocks every strike until a rocket boosted bat stab breaks through. He can immediately feel the bruise forming on his ribcage from the bat.

Blockbuster ran through the geyser from where the hydrant once stood. He whipped his head from left to right, searching for his opponent. Cassandra dropped down from the sky with a double hammerfist. Blockbuster is immediately stunned and stumbles backward. Cassandra continues her assault with a flurry of haymakers. Each punch knocking him back a step.

"Static, heads up!" She signals as he passes by on his saucer.

"One order of 50,000 volts for takeout, coming right up!" Virgil quipped before hurling a ball of electricity at the now soaked Blockbuster. Cassandra jumps back to avoid the shock. It's a direct hit and Blockbuster screams out.

"Don't forget your SHAKE!" Cassandra yelled as her fist crashed into Blockbuster's chin. They both watched Blockbuster fly through the air before crashing through an advertising billboard.

"The alley oop never fails." Virgil swooped down next to her. "Let's help Nightwing now."

Sportsmaster was throwing everything he knew at Nightwing but to little avail. With a few adjustments, Nightwing began to turn the tide as he increased his counter hits. In the midst of defending Sportsmaster's barrage, Nightwing poked at his leg with the stun tips. At the moment of opportunity a swift spinning back kick took the air from Sportsmaster. He regained his footing before noticing company. He ducked an incoming tackle from Cassandra and threw down a baseball that emitted a blinding light.

"Be vigilant and make sure Sportsmaster doesn't hurt anyone!" Nightwing ordered as he flipped to the side.

"I guess this is where the training comes in handy right?" They heard Sportsmaster's sarcasm from behind a van. When he came around he had a large, long barreled machine gun.

"Static, Wondergirl. MOVE!" Nightwing yelled. Virgil noticed the size of the weapon and jumped in front of Cassandra. He held his arms out defensively, hands beginning to glow. Before Cassandra could protest Sportsmaster started firing the fully automatic machine. The streets echoed of large caliber rounds being fired from an M249 LMG. The air punctured by shouts and screams of fleeing civilians. A mass of 5.56 shells piled up next to Sportsmaster. There was another loud bang before smoke obscured his vision. Something sharp and metal collided with his hand, forcing him to drop the weapon. Sportsmaster knew it had to be hero backup so he disappeared before the smoke could dissipate. As the scene cleared he was nowhere to be found. Virgil still held his arms out where he was keeping nearly 100 rounds frozen in the air a few feet in front of him. He let his arms drop and as he did all of the rounds fell to the floor. He wiped a single drop of sweat from his forehead. He turned to see Robin next to Nightwing.

"Great. You let him get away." Cassandra directed her irritation at Tim.

"A 'thank you' would also work." Tim replied with a straight face.

"You're right." Sarcasm dropped from her tongue as she turned towards Virgil. "Thank you so much for saving me."

"Err..sure." Virgil muttered, trying not to add any fuel to any invisible fire that may or may not be burning a metaphorical house down.

"At least we got Blockbuster. He's the immediate danger so job well done. I've already called for his transport. Let's cuff those henchmen and head back to the bio-ship for departure." Nightwing ordered.

"Actually if it's not a problem, I'm gonna take the Zeta-Tube." Cassandra stated before walking away immediately.

"That's fine but maybe someone should accompany you?" Nightwing responded while glancing back and forth between the 3 hormone fueled teenagers.

"Come on Static." She plainly ordered. Virgil shrugged with his hands out before following her.

"Let's head back." Nightwing placed a hand on Tim's shoulder. Tim turned his head away from Cassandra and nodded.

"Copy that." He said nonchalantly.

* * *

"So uhh...you feeling okay?" Virgil had caught up and was now walking by her side.

"I don't know yet." She said without looking away from the sidewalk.

"Ok so where exactly are you going?" He wouldn't let up.

"I DON'T know." She repeated with more emphasis. Virgil sighed before taking a moment to check his surroundings.

"You..do know the Zeta-Tube is that way?" He pointed straight to her right.

"I know..I MEAN NO I didn't know but I'm not going back yet." She rubbed her face with both hands.

"Does this have anything to do with Tim? And not to point out the obvious but you're not wearing your suit. Not that I mind what you're wearing, I think it looks nice." He looked away in embarrassment before closing his eyes.

_'What the hell man? You trying to steal a friends girlfriend! I mean he's not reeeeally my friend. Yea go ahead and give yourself an excuse asshole.'_ He clenched his jaw down to help suppress his anger.

"Actually you're right. Of course it would be that obvious but..I broke up with Tim." She sighed.

"Oh..I thought it was something else." He sounded relieved.

"Why do you sound relieved? I'm baring my heart out to you and all you can say is "OH"?" She tried not to scream as she faced him. He put his hands up defensively.

"Look, I thought maybe someone got hurt. You haven't been quite yourself all day." He responded quickly. She just raised an eyebrow, slightly irritated.

"Someone WAS hurt. ME Virgil!" She stomped and multiple cracks appeared on the sidewalk. Virgil glanced at the ground before letting his features fall.

"Cassie stop. Tim did nothing wrong." He knew that wasn't the right thing to say by her facial reaction. "But you didn't do anything wrong either!" He quickly added.

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side not his." She bumped his shoulder with hers.

"I'm not, I swear haha!" He chuckled nervously. "Some couples meet at different stages in life. So the chemistry might not be there and that really hinders the success of a relationship. At least that's what I think." He added the last part just in case.

"Chemistry?" She questioned.

"I'll tell you all about it AFTER we grab some ice cream." He pointed at the parlor they were getting closer to on that street.

* * *

They both walk out with chocolate cones. Virgil has a banana flavored scoop. Cassandra went with the chocolate scoop.

"You can't ask a brotha if he wants to try banana anything. You let him ask for it!" Virgil dramatically exclaimed causing Cassandra to stifle a laugh.

"Ok but banana ice cream is one of their best flavors silly."

"I know that. But HE didn't know I knew that."

"You're such a goofball! Lemme try that." She grabbed his hand and pulled it close to her face. She took a pick off the top of the banana scoop and smiled with blissful satisfaction. "Mmmm so good." Virgil's heartbeat sped up. He quickly tried to think about something else.

"So why did you get chocolate on chocolate?"

"You kidding me? You can never go wrong with chocolate." She winked at him before holding back a chuckle. He just smiled and mentally thanked the universe that she couldn't tell he was blushing. Before he could say anything else she opened her mouth again. "So you and the guy in the back are pretty close?"

"Uhh, well not too close. But I talk to him every now and then. We help each other sometimes." There was something off about the feeling that came with the sentence he spoke. She still didn't feel like she had the right to pry.

"Oh ok. So tell me about that chemistry."

"My dad told me about it a long time ago. He said it's a feeling that two people share. A special connection. One that makes them yearn for each other. Like an impulse that keeps them from being apart too long."

"Sounds like something I thought Tim and I had. Can't believe I fell for that."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You both gave it a shot but maybe he just isn't ready Cass." Virgil crunched into his cone.

"I wish that was the only problem." She mumbled.

"Wait, did something else happen?" He studied her facial features.

"He-no..no. I can't say, it's..embarrassing." She looked down at her cone.

"Remember what we talked about? About friends?" He pushed for answers.

"Yea, TELL ME ABOUT IT." She raised an eyebrow, looking him up and down. "Anything you wanna share?"

"Err...maybe. Alright fine, I didnt say anything cause I wasn't sure how you'd feel. When I go out i don't just fight crime. I..take some time to relax with Mary." He pulled out a small neatly rolled joint.

"You know I could smell that the whole time right?" She bit into her cone and pointed it at him.

_'FUCK!'_ He mentally slapped himself.

"Sorry, it's not something I do often. I just feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes." He tried to explain.

"I'm not judging Virgil. Just keep it away from me." She smirked and he let out a chuckle.

"So what happened?" He finished his cone.

"With what?" She asked innocently.

"With TIMMMM." He lightly shook her.

"Oh...well-", they both felt raindrops and looked up.

"We should hurry to the station. It's just down the street." It began to rain a bit harder.

"Ok, I'm right behind you." She said as she tossed the remainder of her cone into a nearby trashcan.

* * *

They made it to the station just as the train arrived. Each car seemed to fill up immediately so they jumped the very last one. The seats were taken and people were still getting on. They stood in the corner near the doors and held onto the same pole.

"Full house tonight." Virgil said as he looked around.

"I can't believe this many people have to use this at this time. I wouldn't wanna be all up in someone's personal space for an extended period of time."

"Yea, I mean how could you even stand a minute within breath range of some stranger let alone 10." He joked. The train stopped and a few people got off but even more got on. The crowd pushed the two of them close enough to feel each others warmth.

"Sorry if my breath range is too much to handle haha." She nervously giggled.

"I don't mind at all if it's my BEST FRIEND." He nudged her with his shoulder before showing her a cheesy grin. She cracked a smile in response.

A few more steps and a few more people added to the cluster. Finally a large burly man found himself right behind Cassandra. He had moved too close and was pushing her directly into Virgil. As soon as she made physical contact with him she felt his solid body. They both looked in the opposite direction to avoid eye contact. There was just a slightly awkward moment of silence. They briefly lock eyes again out of curiosity.

"Sorry. I could make us some room if you reall-"

"Cass. It's fine..really." His tone low and smoothe.

"Are you sure? You look sort of uncomfortable." She double checked. Virgil peeked at her and noticed how much rain had gotten on them. Her shirt was a bit darker and now stuck even closer to her body.

_'Gee, I wonder why.'_ He inhaled slowly. Cassandra turned to look at the burly man.

"Can we ease up with the pushing just a bit?" She tried not to sound frustrated.

"Someone up front is doing all the pushing sweetheart." The man replied with a gruff voice. Virgil could feel her breast pushing up against him.

_'Comets. Stars. Nuclear fusion. Protons. Electrons. Neutrons. Bosons. AAAAAAGGHHHH! This isn't working! I can't stop thinking about how soft she is. Why do these things have to distract me? Why can't I stop caring? Why do I feel like I'm doing something wrong but I'm not! It's not like I was waiting for them to break up so I could find someway to secretly fondle her. I'm just a lonely teenager hanging out with my bestfriend who happens to be this beautiful goddess who doesn't get the attention she deserves. I mean who wouldn't wanna lay up all day kissing those sexy lips which are probably even softer than her skin. Ok STOP!'_

He finally shook his head and noticed Cassandra looking towards the front of the car. He never realized how much he wanted to touch her. His eyes began to spark with electricity. She turned just in time to see his eyes flicker with a white light before he closed his eyes. The lights on the entire train also began to flicker for a few moments. The crowd gasped and began gossiping after the lights were stable. She just raised an eyebrow as he nervously rubbed his neck. They finally came to the last stop before getting off and heading for the exit. They were held up when they noticed the rain was a lot heavier now.

"Shit." Virgil reacted suddenly.

"I guess now we have some time to dry off before we race to the Zeta-tube." She stated with unnatural calmness.

"And I also have time for this." He said as he took out his joint.

"Does that really help?" She genuinely asked.

"Honestly? I'd probably have already gone insane if not for this. They're like stress relievers without the crazy side effects. And I could get into the health benefits but it would be a full class lecture."

"Oh gosh." She playfully rolled her eyes.

"But what I like the most so far is that it pushes those uncontrollable feelings down. It keeps me from feeling so out of place and most of all, it keeps me from heroing solo."

"Now it's starting to sound appealing." She joked.

"Sorry, no peer pressure. It won't solve any problems but it'll ease your pain and accelerate the healing process." He said before finally putting the joint in his mouth. With the tip of his finger a hot streak of electricity burned the tip of the joint. He puffed on it and inhaled the smoke. Cassandra swallowed the lump in her throat and took a step towards him.

"I broke up with Tim because..he betrayed my trust." She finally said.

"Sad but most men just can't keep it in their pants." Virgil said nonchalantly before taking another puff.

"What? No, he didn't cheat on me. He put trackers in my super suits." She halfway glared at him.

"Oh yea, ok. I mean, NO! Why would he do that?"

"I don't know but I'm not a fan of secrets and I'm NOBODY'S property. I just need someone who won't lie to me. Someone I can truly depend on when I'm on my last leg. Someone to talk to when I've got no one else. Or to just be around."

"Someone you share a special connection with? Someone who wouldn't mind staying up just to make sure your nights okay? Maybe even someone that stays on your mind UNTIL you fall asleep?" He questioned before taking another puff.

"Exactly." She almost whispered before looking out into the rain. It didn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.

"You gotta find that chemistry. Once a guy shares chemistry with you, the rest will fall into place in no time." He smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Ok I'm done watching you transform into a guru. Gimme that thing." She sighed before stepping up to him. Virgil raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure? If you're generally happy you probably just need a few "R&R" days." He tried to explain at the last minute. She had taken it from him as he spoke and puffed on it. She immediately choked and started coughing uncontrollably. Virgil quickly grabbed the joint from her hand before she accidentally dropped it.

"What th-..why-..why is it so harsh?" She barely got in between coughs.

"It's because you're inhaling smoke and no air. Here, I can help you but I'm gonna invade your space a bit. Is that okay?" He asked before stepping a few inches in front of her.

"What do you...mean?" She coughed one last time before feeling fresh air fill her body. Almost as if she could feel the oxygen traveling through and all around her. Everything turned a bit hazy but without the loss of "pixals". It felt like the world had a filter over it that made all colors even more vivid. She began to feel lighter by the second and she was loving it.

"I'm used to it but you got rookie lungs haha." He chuckled but kept himself from laughing.

"Ok PUNK! So what do you suggest?" She also stifled a laugh. She was literally just feeling like shit for what happened with Tim. Suddenly these past few months make sense. She thought something was off with Tim but he just brushed off her suspicions every time. She felt the anger rising again before locking eyes with Virgil.

"We could shotgun it which is a technique for you to get a decent hit without the burn."

"Ok let's try it."

"There's a few different ways to execute it but we got nothing but this half done joint. So we'll have to..just do what I do. This is to block the wind." He cupped his hand and placed it on the side of his mouth.

"Like this?" She held up her opposite hand and placed it on the side of her mouth.

"Now pretend like you're gonna whistle but inhale instead of blowing." He took a small hit to keep the flame lit.

She followed his instructions and watched him position his face inches away from hers. Her eyes widened for a sec as he took a deep 5 second inhale. He connected his half of the wind barrier and his mouth disappeared under it. She began to blush but ignored her insecurities for the time being. Cassandra immediately began inhaling and she could feel the vapors spreading. She exhaled after a few seconds. At this point she felt completely weightless.

"Whoa." She smiled wide.

"I know." He gave her a smirk in response.

"It's like I'm hovering right now." She looked down at her feet just in case.

"I know." He held his smirk.

_'It's like I'm getting this urge to do something..ANYTHING without holding back. Without regrets.'_ She almost bursted into giggles. She couldn't believe that it could be that simple.

"Another?" Virgil took a few puffs.

"I'm not gonna pass out or start hallucinating am I?" She joked.

"Do you trust me?" He said before taking a deep puff on the joint.

"I'm not so sure now that you're a vigilante." She teased him.

This time he put his cupped hand around her mouth before pressing his mouth to it. She was surprised by his approach and leaned in as well. Without her side of the barrier, she couldn't measure the exact distance between them. And with the effects of THC engulfing her, Cassandra didn't have the reaction time to stop their lips from meeting. It was a quick peck but long enough for Virgil's body to recognize and respond to the action.

"ah-", a static shock on contact caused her to gasp and jump back slightly. There was a sliver of electric discharge in the form of a tiny arc between their lips for a split moment. The intensity snapped Virgil's hair tie causing his dreads to fall down. Cassandra's eyes drifted from Virgil's eyes to his lips and back. She unknowingly felt her own lips with her middle and index fingers.

"I'm sorry! I'm usually in control of my powers but lately I've been picking up electrons like crazy." He tried his best to laugh off what just happened.

"Really? You've never had this problem but today it decides to go haywire? You've been planning this haven't you?" She crossed her arms.

"What? NO! No, no, no, no. I had no idea you two would..well I mean I could tell it was getting rocky-"

"So you admit it?" A smirk grew across her features.

"Ok look. This has never happened before." His heart began beating faster by the second.

"Relax V, I'm joking." She stifled a laugh while holding her side.

"I'm not." The words pierced her like swords, cutting her laugh off completely. "It started that night we shared pizza and it's gotten worse. The leap of faith. The rooftop. Your room. Trying to protect you from Sportsmaster. The train, th-the kiss! So many times when it felt like I barely had any control over my abilities and you were there for every one." He finally paused for a moment to breathe. Cassandra seemed to be taking everything in as she stared back at him with squinted eyes.

"Geez Virgil. You need to work on your wording cause from my side it practically sounds like you're in love with me." She rolled her eyes with a smirk. There was a moment of silence as she searched his face for signs of a lie. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. She stomped forward and gave him a quick chest shove.

"You think I wanted this Cass? On top of everything going through my mind, the last thing I needed was complicated bestfriend attraction. I just couldn't stay away from you no matter how hard I tried. Everyday you invade my thoughts and I've even considered leaving the team for good because of it." He looked away from her in shame. She glared at Virgil before pushing him again a bit harder. He was forced a step back into the wall next to the exit.

"So why are you just now telling me?" She gradually frowned.

"I couldn't. I couldn't risk ruining what we had." He huffed, finally feeling his heartbeat through his chest. Courtesy of anxiety. Cassandra held an unreadable face. With one step she was inches from him again.

"Guess what? You just ruined it." She almost whispered. The weight of her words forced his eyelids to close.

"I know you must hate me bu-" his words caught in his throat when he felt her hands cup his cheeks.

He kept his eyes closed honestly because it startled him. He had never had this kind of interaction before. Her thumbs hovered over his lips. She gathered all of her godlike courage for what would take place next. She placed her thumb gently on his bottom lip. Virgil raised his eyelids slowly as if moving to quickly would wake him from a dream. He couldn't help but gaze at her but the close proximity was a bit overbearing. She began to trace his lip with her thumb.

_'Why do I feel an uncontrollable urge to believe him? Even if I wanted to hate him, the desire for his touch overshadows everything like an eclipse.'_ She thought before noticing his eyes flicker with electricity.

"It almost seems like somethings got you flustered...or excited even?" Virgil almost couldn't process it.

_'What is happening right now? Did I make her inhale too much? She shouldn't be this touchy with someone whose pissed her off.'_

"Cass-", he parted his mouth to protest but only air could escape before Cassie captured his lips with her own. Virgil nearly melted right there but did his best to follow her actions. Cassie bit and tugged on his bottom lip. With the grace of a mime, he tugged on her upper lip.

"You ruined it that night on the roof. I realized I wasn't in love with Tim..but with my best friend." She spoke into his ear after breaking the lip lock.

"Told ya you'd love me. Nobody can resist the pizza." A goofy grin stretched across his face.

"And it was the best pizza I've ever had." She muttered after giving him a short but juicy peck on the lips.

"Are we still talking about the pizza?" He almost whispered in a daze. She just giggled before looking away.

"You know, we could pr-practice..more whenever you'd like." She offered with a hint of embarrassment.

"Ok." Virgil spoke with a smile forming gradually under his droopy eyes.

"More?"

"Ok." He jokingly spoke in the same monotonous tone. She giggled before pulling his face closer. She could hear that familiar piano in a graceful and colorful tone. Like a silent sonata.

* * *

**A/N: I had fun writing this and I hope you all had fun reading it! Peace and jubilation to you and I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. Until next story, bye!**


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